1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an apparatus for printing labels detachably glued to a carrier strip by means of an adhesive on the underside of the label, or the side adjoining the carrier strip. Such a printing apparatus can have a printing area for printing information, such as pricing information, onto the labels. In addition, there can also be a deflector area located behind the printing area in the transport direction of the labels. Such a deflector area can be configured in the form of a shaft, roller, or an edge, around which the carrier strip can be guided, and can be configured such that the labels can be detached from the carrier strip on account of the stiffness of the label, with the adhesive remaining on the underside of the label. After the deflector area, located in the transport direction of the labels, there can be an output, opening through which the labels can pass out of the printing apparatus. Further, there can also be a support apparatus with a contact area, for receiving the labels which have been detached from the carrier strip and have been output from the printing apparatus through the output opening. This contact area can essentially be configured as a holding area for holding a printed label wherein the adhesive underside of the labels comes into contact with the contact area and is adhered thereto.
2. Background Information
Known stationary label printers which are equipped to print individual labels, have a contact device which is located near the output opening for the labels. The labels printed and output via the output opening come into contact with the contact device. The labels can then be removed from the contact device by hand, and can be area-glued to an item to be labelled. Since the adhesive required for this purpose is on the underside of the labels, the labels frequently adhere too strongly to the contact area of the contact device during the output, before they have been completely transported out of the output opening. This results in a significantly adverse effect on the output of labels, as the labels can possibly jam the printer device.